Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation vendors urged to end demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes after NSFAS gained reports about some accommodation vendors who need NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the authorised private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers in the compulsory conditions, as furnished by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement involving the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS mentioned in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the lease will be paid regular into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf in the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment to the lessor, or every other person in connection with this agreement, like payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any get more info recourse versus the lessee for any default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded click here as a result of an incorrect decision by NSFAS, the student will website not be answerable for payment of any arrear rent towards the accommodation provider, up until eventually the day of being defunded."
NSFAS discussed that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding currently being defunded nsfas document submission deadline by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be chargeable for payment of hire for the lessor with the date of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, here must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za